Control mechanism for milking systems



June 9, 1953 L. VAN DER PLATE 2,641,223

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILKING SYSTEMS Filea June 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LOU/6 VAN DEE PLATE ATTO EY June 9, 1953 L. VAN DER PLATE 2,641,223

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILKING SYSTEMS Filed June '7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII/I,

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I [I @QWM E5 LOU/5 V N DER PLATE ATTORNEY Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILKING STEMS Louis Van der Plate, Paterson, N. J.

Application June 7, 1951, Serial No. 230,354

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a milking system and more particularly to a system of the type which employs teat cups which are connected to a vacuum line through a pulsator which is mounted atop a milker pail.

The primary object of the present invention is to interrupt the vacuum through the pulsator and the teat cups at the expiration of a redetermined length of time, the time period being regulable by an attendant.

Another object of the present invention is to support the teat cups clear of the floor when the vacuum is interrupted and to thus preserve their uncontaminated condition.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a time controlled valve mounted in the vacuum line of a conventional milking system between the vacuum source and th pulsator for interrupting the vacuum through the pulsator and teat cups at the expiration of a predetermined period of time.

Other features include, a cylinder mounted atop the milker pail, a piston working in the cylinder, a duct connected to the cylinder behind the iston and to the valve for establishing communication between the cylinder and the vacuum source when communication between the vacuum source and the pulsator is interrupted and a cable connected to the piston and to the teat cups so that when the teat cups fall from the cows udder owing to the interruption of the vacuum, they will be suspended by the cable clear of the floor.

Still other features include a check valve in the duct to prevent the inflow of air into the cylinder through the vacuum line when the latter is disconnected from the vacuum creating source, and a manually actuated valve carried by the cylinder behind the piston for admitting air to said cylinder.

Other and more specific objects of the present invention will becom apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred form of the device constructed in accordance therewith, having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of one type of milking system showing my time controlled valve connected therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1 through the valve showing in full lines the parts in normal position during the milking operation and in broken lines the position of the parts when the time clock has moved them to interrupt the vacuum through the system.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of the invention applied to another type of milking system.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the Valve taken on line 4-4! of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the check valve, and

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a valve slide.

Referring to the drawings in detail one type of milking system to which the invention relates includes a conventional claw Hi to which a group of conventional teat cups [2 is connected in a conventional manner. A milk conveying line i leads from the claw 10 to the cover it of a milker pail I8 through which milk extracted from the udder of a cow enters the milker pail in a conventional manner. Also carried by the cover [6 is a conventional pulsator 20, one side of which is connected through a tube 22 to the claw In. This tube 2|] forms a part of the vacuum line of the milking system. The opposite side of the pulsator 20 is normally connected through a tube 2% to a conventional vacuum pump (not shown) of the type commonly employed in a conventional milking system. The tubes 22 and 24 constitute a vacuum line connected at one end to the vacuum pump and at its opposite end to the teat cups 12 with the pulsator 2i! interposed therein.

All of the structure so far described is common to a conventional milking system and except in combination with my improved timing means forms no part of this invention.

Individual cows will differ as to the time required for milking and accordingly an attendant must watch the milking of each cow to see that the milking is stopped at the proper instant. In order to free an attendant for other duties I introduce into the vacuum line between the tube 24 and the pulsator a time controlled valve designated generally 26. This time controlled valve 25 comprises a casing 28, housing at one end of a clockwork mechanism 35] having an exposed dial 32 over which a manually actuated hand 3t operates. This hand is so connected with the clockwork that it may be manually set to an index on the dial and when freed will work its way back to zero. A cam 36 is connected to the clockwork and operates within the housing so that when the hand 34 is at zero the high side of the cam will be directly beneath the zero mark. Rockably mounted on a transverse shaft 38 within the casing 28 is a lever 4%! adjacent one end of which is engaged on end of a compression coiled spring 42, the opposite end of which bears on the bottom of the casing so as to urge the lever 48 to rock about the pivot 38 and yieldingly hold one end of the lever against the under side of the cam 36. It will thus be seen that as the clockwork 30 drives the cam 36, the lever 40 will be rocked about the pivot 38.

Mounted within the casing 28 is a valve body 44 having ports 46, 48, 50 and 52 extending therethrough. The ports 46 and 58 align with one another and the ports 48 and 52 align with one another, and mounted for sliding movement within the valve body 44 is a slide 54 having ports 56 and 58 therein. As shown in Figure 2 the port 56 and the port 58 establish communication between the ports 46 and 50, and 48 and 52 respectively when the slide is down but when the slide is elevated such communication is interrupted. Nipples 60 and 62 extend through the casing 28 and are connected to the tube 24 and oppositely extending nipples 64 and 66 extend through the casing 28 and are connected by way of tubes 68 and I8 to the pulsator 28. It will thus be seen that when the slide 54 is elevated the vacuum through the line will be interrupted between the pulsator 28 and the vacuum pump. A link I2 is carried by the upper end of the slide 54 and is coupled to the lever 40 adjacent the end thereof remote from the spring 42 so that when the lever 40 is rocked by the cam 36 the valve will be closed.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 a group of teat cups I4 is connected in a conventional manner to a claw I6 having a bail I8 attached thereto. The teat cups I4 are connected to the cover 80 of a conventional milker pail 82 by a tube 84 through which the milk extracted by the action of the milker is delivered to the milker pail 82. A conventional pulsator 86 is carried by the cover 80 and is connected by a tube 88 to the teat cups I4 through the claw I6. This tube 88 forms a section of the conventional vacuum line of the milker. A similar tube 90 is connected at one end to a conventional vacuum pump (not shown) and under ordinary circumstances to the side of the pulsator 86 opposite that to which the tube 88 is connected, and this tube 90 in cooperation with the pulsator 86 and the tube 88 forms the vacuum line of a conventional milking system.

In order to arrest the operation of the milker at the expiration of a predetermined period of time, I interpose in the vacuum line between the pulsator 86 and the vacuum pump a timer designated generally 82. This timer comprises a casing 94 in which is housed a clockwork 98 and a valve designated generally 98. clockwork 96 is provided with a dial I88 which is exposed through the casing 94 and over which is rotatable a hand I02 which also serves as the winding and time indicating means.

Carried by the clockwork 96 within the casing 94 is a cam I 04 and rockably mounted within the casing is a rock arm I 86, one end of which is engaged by the cam I04 so that when the latter is rotated the arm I06 will be rocked. The valve 98 comprises a casing I08 having aligning parts H8, H, H2 and H4 therein. The ports H0 and I I2 on one side of the casing I88 are connected through pipes H6 and H8 to the side of the pulsator 86 opposite the tube 88. The ports H0 and H2 on the opposite side of the casing I08 are connected to the tube 90 so that the valve 86 will be interposed in the vacuum line between the pulsator 86 and the pump. Connecting the ports H0 and H4 on the side of the casing I88 The adjacent the tube 98 is a duct I20 and communicating with the port I I4 on the side of the casing I08 remote from the duct I28 is a check valve I22 carrying a nipple I24 for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.

Mounted on the milker pail 82 is an upwardly extending cylinder I26 having a port I28 adjacent its lower end which communicates through a tube I38 with the check valve I22. A slide I32 is mounted within the valve casing I 08 and is provided with longitudinally spaced ports I34, I36 and I38 which are so distributed that when the slide is in its innermost position the ports I34 and I36 register with the ports H0 and H2 re spectively while the port I38 is out of register with the port II4. A link I48 is carried by the slide I 32 and is connected to the lever I06 so that when it is moved under the influence of the cam I 04, the slide I32 will move to bring the port I38 in register with the port H4 and the ports I34 and I36 out of register with the ports H0 and H2. The slide I32 is also provided adjacent its end remote from its connection to the link I48 with an L-shaped passage I3! one leg of which opens through the side of the slide I32 for registration with the port I I8 when the slide I32 is elevated so that the ports I34 and I36 are out of alignment with the ports I I2, H0 and the port I38 aligns with the ports I I4. The opposite leg of the L-shaped passage I31 opens outwardly through a side or the bottom edge of the slide so as to establish communication of the port IIO with atmosphere.

A piston I42 is mounted in the cylinder I26 for reciprocal motion therein and connected to the piston I42 and extending upwardly in the cylinder I28 through the upper end thereof is a cable I 44 which is trained-over a pulley I46 mounted in the upper end of the cylinder. This cable I 44 is connected at its end remote from the piston to the bail I8 of the claw I6. It will thus be seen that when the portion of the cylinder I26 behind the piston is evacuated, pull will be exerted on the cable I44 to elevate the claw I6 and lift the teat cups I4 clear of the floor. A spring closed manually actuated relief valve I48 is connected to the cylinder I26 opposite the port I28 so as to enable an attendant to admit air to the cylinder I26 and permit the piston I42 to move upwardly therein.

In use the timer 26 is connected in the vacuum line of a conventional milking system between the pulsator 28 and the vacuum pump. With the hand or pointer 34 turned to a selected index on the dial 32, the clockwork 30 will start to run and move the cam 36. As the end of the period of time is approached, the cam 36 will engage the lever 40 and rock it to elevate the slide 54 so as to move the ports 56 and 58 out of register with the ports 46 and 50 and the ports 48 and 52 thus interrupting the vacuum through the pulsator 20 and. the teat cups I2. This will release the teat cups I2 from the cows udder and permit them to hang by the tubes I4 and 22. In this type of device the claw I0 and teat cups I2 are suspended on the tubes I4 and 22 clear of the floor.

In some types of milkers it is necessary to support the teat cups and claw clear of the floor after the teat cups are freed from the udder and in this type of milker, I employ a timer 92 and cylinder I26. The timer 92 is connected into the vacuum line between the pulsator 86 and the vacuum pump and operates to shift the slide I32 at the expiration of a predetermined period of time so that the ports ltd and 135 will move out of register with the ports Mil and H2. This interrupts the vacuum through the pulsator 83 and simultaneously opens the teat cup line to atmosphere through the L shaped passage I31. This disengages the teat cups i l from the cows udder so that the latter will fall. In order to suspend the teat cups clear of the floor, the port i238 moves into register with the port H 3 and creates a vacuum behind the piston I42 in the cylinder tilt; so as to exert pull on the cable M 1 and suspend the teat cups M clear of the fioor. The teat cups it are so held by the closing of the check valve 122 until air is again admitted to the cylinder through the manually actuated relief valve 5 38. Thus the teat cups 74 may be freed for attachment to the udder of the next cow to be milked.

I wish to have it understood that minor changes in detail and construction of the various parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a milking system having a pulsator, teat cups, a vacuum line connected to the teat cups and to the pulsator, and means connected to the vacuum line for creating a vacuum therein, means for interrupting the vacuum to the pulsa tor and to the teat cups at the expiration of a predetermined period of time comprising a time actuated valve connected in the vacuum line between the pulsator and the vacuum creating means, a cylinder mounted adjacent said valve, a piston working within the cylinder, means establishing; communication between the cylinder behind the piston and the valve for moving said piston when the valve interrupts the vacuum through the pulsator, and means connected to the piston and to the teat cups for supporting said teat cups when the vacuum is interrupted.

2. In a milking system having a pulsator, teat cups, a vacuum line connected to the teat cups and to the pulsator, and means connected to the vacuum line for creating a vacuum therein, means for interrupting the vacuum to the pulsator and to the teat cups at the expiration of a predetermined period of time and for supporting the teat cups when the vacuum therein is discontinued comprising, a time controlled valve mounted in the vacuum line between the pulsator and the vacuum creating means, said valve having ports therein which establish communication between the vacuum creating means and the pul= sator and for opening the teat cups to atmosphere, a cylinder mounted adjacent the valve, a piston working in said cylinder, a duct connected to the cylinder behind the piston and to the valve, a port in the valve for establishing communica tion between the cylinder and the vacuum creating means when the vacuum to the pulsator and the teat cups is interrupted, and means connected to the piston and to the teat cups for supporting said teat cups when the vacuum thereto is interrupted.

3. In a milking system having a pulsator, teat cups, a vacuum line connected to the teat cups and to the pulsator, and means connected to the vacuum line for creating a vacuum therein, means for interrupting the vacuum to the pulsator and teat cups at the expiration of a predetermined period or" time for supporting the teat cups when the vacuum therein is discontinued comprising, a time controlled valve mounted in the vacuum line between the pulsator and the vacuum creating means, said valve having ports therein which establish communication between the vacuum creating means and the pulsator and for opening the teat cups to atmosphere, a cylinder mounted adjacent the valve, a piston working in said cylinder, a duct connected to the cylinder behind the piston and to the valve, a port in the valve for establishing communication between the cylinder and the vacuum creating means when the vacuum to the pulsator and teat cups is interrupted, and means connected to the piston and to the teat cups for supporting said teat cups when the vacuum thereto is interrupted, a check valve in the duct between the cylinder and the valve for maintaining a vacuum within the cylinder, and a manually actuated relief valve in the cylinder behind the piston for admitting air to said cylinder.

LOUIS VAN DER PLATE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 134,759 Gengler Jan. 5, 1943 514,551 Hussey et a1 Feb. 13, 189-; 719,443 Devore Feb. 3, 1903 1,154,256 Cameron Dec. 14, 1915 2,416,139 Babson Feb' 18, 19347 2,488,754 Willson Nov. 22, 1949 2,534,927 Schilling Dec. 19, 1950 

